


in the shadow of the doorway

by cydbys



Category: Full House (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Getting Together, Jesse centric, M/M, Season Two AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 03:44:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20901116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cydbys/pseuds/cydbys
Summary: Jesse doesn’t like to do a lot of introspection. He doesn’t normally consider his motives before acting, which is probably why he leans in and kisses Joey Gladstone.





	in the shadow of the doorway

**Author's Note:**

> this fic came to me in its entirety in a allergy medicine induced haze. i can’t believe i actually wrote it.

In general, Jesse doesn’t like to do a lot of introspection. He doesn’t normally consider his motives before acting, which is probably why he ends up hitting on Becky Donaldson. Every time he’s hit on her so far, she’s laughed it off, like she thinks he must be joking.

He really doesn’t know what to do with that.

Becky and Danny had hit it off, and then Becky had met DJ and Steph and they had hit it off, and really, who doesn’t love Michelle? So Becky ends up tagging along on all the family adventures that Danny invites her to, and Jesse keeps striking out. 

They’re eating burgers in the backyard when it happens.

“So, you busy tomorrow night?” He asks. 

“No.” Becky says carefully, like she knows it’s a trap. She’s wiping ketchup off of the corner of her mouth when Jesse says, “How about you let me take you out to dinner?” 

Becky laughs, like always. Then comes the gut punch.

“Would your boyfriend appreciate you asking me out?”

“My what?”

“You know, Joey.” 

And that makes sense. Hypothetically, theoretically, maybe even possibly Jesse could see how someone could get that idea. 

His face must go through a million emotions as Becky watches. Finally, it settles on something like amusement.

“Me and Joey aren’t together. People think that sometimes, because of the weird living situation and all but, I don’t like guys.” 

“Well, you could have fooled me. I didn’t think you guys were a couple because you live together. It was... everything else. Just the way you act around each other.” 

And okay, yeah, hypothetically, theoretically, maybe even possibly Jesse could see why she would think that. He doesn’t even respond as she wanders away to see what the girls are up to.

Introspection. Not his strong suit.

Sure, him and Joey could be awfully touchy. And sure, Joey could always make him laugh, no matter what.

That’s what Jesse thinks of, when he thinks of Joey. Laughter. It isn’t about the whole comedian thing, no, it’s something else entirely. 

It’s the way a look, a touch, a single word can set them both off laughing.

It’s the way they so often get caught up in their own little world, laughing hysterically at an inside joke while Danny watches on, confused but fond. 

That’s what he thinks about when he thinks of Joey, and that’s what he thinks about while he stares at the ceiling of his bedroom in the dark writing snippets of songs he isn’t sure he wants to sing out loud. 

So maybe that isn’t something straight guys do. Jesse isn’t sure.

He’s only ever really had two extremely meaningful friendships to compare, one with Danny and one with Joey.

Unless, of course, you count Michelle.

~

He starts noticing things, after that conversation with Becky. She’d said the way they acted around each other, not just the way he acted around Joey, so there had to be some sort of reciprocation to whatever it was he hadn’t fully realized he’d been doing. 

And there was, once he started looking for it. Joey feeding him a spoonful of whatever monstrosity be was cooking up. Joey laughing at Jesse’s admittedly poor jokes. Joey sitting way closer to Jesse than to Danny when in the middle on the couch. 

It was things like this that made Jesse forget all about Becky and her shiny hair. It was things like this that started a spark of hope in him.

~

It happens like this: Jesse and Joey are sitting on the couch around midnight, waiting for Danny to get home.

Jesse has his legs stretched out across the couch, watching Joey out of the corner of his eye while Joey watches whatever rerun is playing. 

At some point, Jesse’s feet ended up in Joey’s lap and now all he can do is silently will Joey’s hand to close around his ankle.

God, he’s getting pathetic. 

Two tiny feet come thundering down the stairs. 

“Michelle?” Joey asks. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nightmare.” She throws herself on the couch between them, on top of Jesse’s legs. Her face is tear stained, and they both silently figure she must’ve checked her dad’s room first and became even more distressed when he wasn’t there. 

One trip up the stairs, some reassurances, and a lullaby later, Jesse and Joey stand in the door of her room, watching her drift off to sleep.

“Jesse.” Joey says, and Jesse turns to look.

It should surprise him how close they are standing, but it doesn’t, and that is part of the problem. This is the natural amount of distance between them, breaths on mouths and arms always brushing. 

“We would make really good parents someday.” Joey says, and it’s the way he says it that makes Jesse’s breath catch in his throat. 

Joey looks at him like he’s waiting for something. 

Jesse doesn’t like to do a lot of introspection. He doesn’t normally consider his motives before acting, which is probably why he leans in and kisses Joey Gladstone.

~

“Daddy, is it okay for boys to kiss other boys?” Stephanie asks one day. Danny fumbles with the plate he’s washing.

“Well, Stephanie, most of the time boys like girls and girls like boys. But some boys like other boys, and some girls like other girls, and it’s perfectly fine and normal. Why do you ask?”

“Because I saw Uncle Jesse and Joey kissing.”

Danny does drop the plate, this time.

It is at this moment that Jesse enters, carrying Michelle, with Joey on his heels. “We’re back!” Joey sing-songs, before taking in the energy of the room. 

Stephanie is coloring, but Danny is staring at them, open mouthed. 

“What?” Jesse asks, prematurely defensive. 

A wide smile spreads on Danny’s face, and he circles the counter to wrap them both up in a Tanner Hug.

Although Jesse is normally adverse to such things, he can’t resist Michelle’s outstretched arms or the site of Stephanie jumping on Joey to join the hug. 

DJ comes down stairs and is immediately pulled into what has now become a full family hug. “Not that I mind, but what is this about?”

“Uncle Jesse and Joey are getting married!” Stephanie shouts.

“Woah there, kid. Nobody said anything about marriage.” He can’t help but smile when he says it though, and he can feel the shake of Joey laughing against his arm. 

Jesse has never been introspective, but he knows that the warmth covering him head to toe has to mean something good.


End file.
